Grizzlies announce Brandan Wright signing
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The Memphis Grizzlies' frontcourt is in fine shape.
With franchise center Marc Gasol reportedly agreeing to a five-year maximum contract, the Grizzlies worked swiftly to land him a new backup. Kosta Koufos is out, bound for the Sacramento Kings, and Brandan Wright is in.
The Grizzlies announced the signing of Wright, a Tennessee native, on Thursday. The deal is reportedly a three-year pact worth $18 million, terrific value for Wright and a cheaper alternative than Koufos.
Wright is only 6-foot-9, but owns a 7-foot-4 wingspan and a lot of bounce, allowing him to capably man the pivot and protect the rim. His defensive versatility should allow him to play alongside either Gasol or Zach Randolph, and his finishing around the rim is nearly unmatched.
He operates primarily as a dive-man on offense, setting good screens and then bolting for the rim, where he should have plenty of space given the defensive attention Memphis's other bigs command.
The 27-year-old averaged 7.3 points and 4.3 rebounds across three stops last season, while shooting 64.2 percent and turning away more than five percent of opponent two-point attempts when he was on the floor.